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Sweden-based biomass gasification technology developer Cortus Energy AB has announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Germany-based Infinite Fuels GmbH. The purpose of the LOI is to evaluate cooperation for the construction of renewable energy production facilities based on biomass gasification with Cortus's proprietary WoodRoll process. A first project proposal for biomethane, synthetic natural gas (SNG), has been chosen for the start of future cooperation.

Germany has set a high target of phasing in renewable natural gas (RNG) such as upgraded biogas, biomethane, and synthetic natural gas (SNG). The target for 2020 is 65 TWh RNG and almost double, 110 TWh by 2030. However, thus far less than a quarter of the 2020 target has been reached in part due to the increased use of gas as a result of the ongoing nuclear decommissioning.

In northern Germany, Infinite Fuels, a technology developer for drop-in hydrocarbon fuels derived from biomass, is developing a project together with a large recycling company to produce SNG through gasification of biomass and residues.

This first project opportunity is based on gasification of biomass where the synthesis gas from the gasification process is converted to SNG in a downstream catalytic process. SNG is then fed into the natural gas network. Cortus Energy has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Infinite Fuels about a collaboration where the first possibility could be the above project.

After careful studies of different biomass gasification solutions, we are convinced that WoodRoll and its way of producing a clean energy gas from biomass are the best solution for renewable natural gas production. Germany is in need of renewable natural gas and we look forward to working together with Cortus Energy as this is an important step towards effective conversion of biomass to renewable natural gas, said Andreas Noky, CEO of Infinite Fuels.

According to Cortus, the potential is “enormous” – to reach the 2020 RNG target, more than 1 200 WoodRoll 6 MW plants, the same size as its Höganäs project in Sweden, would be required. The status of the project is that significant funding exists and that this opportunity may become an order for Cortus 2019.

Although this cooperation does not solve our short-term financing needs, we are very pleased to evaluate this cooperation with such a competent partner for the German CIS market and its great potential. In this context, it is valuable that Infinite Fuels had good knowledge of WoodRoll before and are familiar with the technology’s most important competitive advantage, pure synthesis gas, said Rolf Ljunggren, CEO Cortus Energy.